Joint and Bone Health

Why joint and bone health are affiliated, and how chiropractic treatment can help with osteoporosis.

A chiropractor can help your biomechanics, which can in-turn, help your movement and enable you to put loading through the body.

A doctor of chiropractic (DC) uses his/her education and knowledge to manipulate the musculoskeletal system, for proper alignment of bones. At times when joint and bone do not align properly, neuromuscular dysfunction can take place. This is mostly because a poorly aligned joint causes pain and discomfort thereby disallowing the nervous system from engaging the muscles that put mechanical force through the specific joint. When a DC manipulates these joints for better alignment, greater use of the joints can occur. So how does this relate to osteoporosis?

Joint and Bone Alignment = Greater Force

According to the American Chiropractic Association, musculoskeletal pain is the most common factor in functional movement with older people. The ACA Reports 17% of DC patients are over 65 years of age (McClelland and Krippendorf, 2004). This musculoskeletal pain disallows individuals from putting osteogenic loading forces through their bone mass. This can be the catalyst to losses in bone mass density, then potentially diagnosis of osteoporosis. In chiropractic treatment, the DC CAN adjust biomechanics and posture so the individual can be more active, and therefore add more loading on the bone mass.

When Informed of Low Bone Mass Density

If informed of low bone mass density, one should potentially see a DC That has experience in treating elderly and or osteoporotic patients. The DC should review results of the DXA scans as well as x-rays taken elsewhere in the body. The DC should assimilate all information, especially involving joints and bones that hurt when moving. The DC should also be willing to work with other healthcare providers for the most comprehensive approach to treating joint and bone health.